Reason
by WeezelLee
Summary: On a nightly run, Donatello is captured by the Foot Ninja. Okay...so I suck at summaries. Don't worry, there's nothing nasty here. Just some notsonice words and blood.
1. Sacrifice

_Howdy, Weezellee here with my first TMNT fanfic. I'm a huge fan of the turtles. Firstly, this fic was inspired from Plato's Republic! It is such an awesome book, but don't worry. You don't need to have read it to understand this fic. I know my writing ability sucks, okay? I'm doing this purely for fun! I'm sorry if I slashed your favorite turtle's personality, I didn't spell some words correctly, or whatever. Okay, I'm done with my rant. LOL! Anyway, enjoy, and thanks for reading._

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**Reason**

Brittany Johns

"The greatest way to live with honor in this world is to be what we pretend to be." -Socrates

Chapter I: Sacrifices

"Stupid!" Don muttered to himself as he dove for the apartment rooftop. Making it, Don turned just to see the ninjas still following him. Running past a few discarded trash bags, Don jumped down to the apartment building's fire escape. Below was the alley's end, but there was also a man hole to the sewers of New York City. That would be his escape to home.

Landing gracefully, Don reached down to the sewer hole cover but stopped. There was a tiny electronic beeping sound. It was a trip alarm placed right below the circular, steel sewer cover. Thinking quickly, Don concluded that the ninjas had placed those but for what purpose Don wasn't sure yet. The alarm system wasn't lethal.

Looking above him, he realized with dread that he would have to come up with theories while running. Ninjas were surrounding him, and there were too many for him to face alone. With no other alternative, Dontello ran to the alley's exit to the streets.

Above him rested a midnight sky clouded with the city's smog. The air was warmed with a damp summer night, but few people roomed the streets at this time of night. Streetlamps and lighted windows gave the city it's nightly apparel, but how Don longed for the sewer- for home.

It was a mistake on his part. He left alone because none of his brothers could join him for a nightly scavenge run to the junkyard. Envisioning them now, Don could see Mickey battling the final boss of his newest video game. Leo was somewhere with Master Splinter enjoying a meditation session or a cup of sweetened green tea. Raph was in the dojo for a solo boxing match with his sand bag. They were home- enjoying the evening- while Don was running for his life.

Where there more ninjas chasing him than an hour ago? Don looked around seeing a legion of ninjas on the rooftops, streets, and sidewalks. All were following him. Frowning, Don realized he should have never left home alone again.

Then a thought crossed his mind. If the ninjas wanted to capture or fight him; they could have easily shot a tranquilizer gun or something. Don was tired from too many all-nighters sessions with his tool box, so Don wasn't running to his full capacity. They should have caught up to him by now.

As he studied this thought, Don's shell cell on his belt rang loudly. Don had only been chased for an hour now, and he knew now was the best time to call for help.

Opening his own designed phone, Don panted, "You couldn't have called at a better time, guys."

"Whoa, Donnie." Mickey's voice. "You sound like I'm running."

Rolling his eyes, Don answered. "I am running, Mickey. I'm being followed by some Foot ninja."

"Seriously?" The baby brother gasped, "How many."

Looking around, Don huffed. "At least thirty; maybe thirty-five. Should I stop and give a head count?" Okay, he was being sarcastic, but he was also tired and outnumbered.

There was a moment of silence, and then Leo's voice asked on the other side, "Where are you?"

"They have all the man holes triggered with some sort of alarm system." Don panted as he side jumped back to the rooftops. "It's almost like they expect me to…" Then the realization of the ninjas' plan hit almost leaving Don breathless. Again he cursed himself for being so stupid. They were following him; waiting for him to run home to spring a full attack on his family in their own home! It was a trap. It was all a dirty trap!

Leo sound angered, "That's not what I asked."

"It's a trap, Leo!" Don practically yelled. "They want me to retreat so they'll find out where our lair is. They have an alarm system on every sewer entrance in Manhattan. Oh shell, I should have expected that when they didn't attack me at the junkyard!"

"That's not what I asked, Dontello!" Leo was yelling back. "We'll handle their ambush when that happens. Now where are you so we can find you."

Don said, "No, Leo. Don't you see? That's their contingency! You guys will use one of the man holes to find me. There must be a trigger system throughout the whole sewers. They were just waiting for one of us to leave."

"Then what do you expect us to do, Don." Leo growled, "Leave our brother up with an army of ninja!"

Don just kept running and jumping with the phone still pressed to his ear. Options were few and depleting with each second, and Don was never a spontaneous type of genius. The ninja were drawing closer, and Don's legs burned with too much pain.

"Don! You are not reassuring us here." Leo shouted.

"Sorry. It's just hard to think, run, and talk at the same time."

"We're coming."

"Did we just have the conversation?!" Don roared, "That's what they want, Leo!"

"I won't leave you, okay? Conversation is over! I order you to tell me where you are!" In the background Don could hear Raph yelling curses about locking Don his lab for a week. Mickey and Splinter were nearby but silent.

Hesitating, Don smiled. "I've got an idea."

"You'd better hope it brings you home, Dontello."

"It will." Don jumped down to street level, and just like puppies; the ninjas followed. Because the threat of a fight was gone, Don slowed down enough to snap off the headset to his shell sell. Now he had two free hands to clutch his bo staff. "I don't think these guys were ordered to fight only to follow until arriving at the lair. If they realize I'm on to their plan, that will create enough of a distraction for me to disarm an alarm system."

"What if they're ordered to complete their missions even with combative alternatives if necessary?" Leo asked firmly, and Don knew that was a valid question.

Don shrugged, "Socrates said it's better to trust a plan than to do nothing but doubt."

"Yeah." Leo huffed, "And Socrates was executed, so what's your point."

"Here's hoping."

"Okay, but do not close this line."

Don stopped dead in the center of a wide rooftop. To his left was the glassy harbor and the grandeur of the Statue of Liberty. Ships were sailing softly in this dark night, and Don was hopeful he would get a good night sleep.

So far so good. The ninja surrounded him as if waiting for him to continue to running. Looking around him, Don grimacing seeing at least forty of them. He'd never seen so many since he and his brothers stormed the Shredder's tower.

Digging in his belt, Don found the electrical receptor. Setting the dial to discharge, Don smiled. "Okay…I'm on the Red Eye hotel rooftop. My receptor should disarm the alarm the three holes around the building. I'll hold off as long as I can so…"

Static! It fizzled into his air full of white noise. Oh shell, Don cursed taking off the worthless head set. Who ever was running this operation was smart- too smart. They had their own disruptor, and were using it to render his cell useless. Growling, Don knew that the tracker inside his device was useless as well. There was but one more hope. Holding up his own receptor, Don swore under his breath. It was also dead. So it wasn't his receptor that rendered the cell useless; it couldn't disarm itself.

"Very clever." Don said to the gathering ninja. Surrounded. Outnumbered. "I give you guys too little credit." Taking out his bo staff, Don resorted to defensive measured and the small hope that his brothers would come sooner than later. "I'm clever too." Out of his belt, Don took out three smoke booms. One would be significant for normal citizens but these were ninjas.

Once he tossed the black pellets, the surrounding area was shrouded in smoke. Easily Don slipped do the rooftop edge. Thirteen dizzy stories high, Don jumped down each ledge until he arrived at the street. He found the man hole and the alarm system surrounding it still active. No brothers.

For more bad news, the smoke was dissipating, and the ninjas spotted Don. Don thought to himself, when life closes the sewer hole; find a river. Thankfully the river wasn't far off. Humans compared to turtles were horrible swimmers, and there was a few hidden cracks in under the bridge that lead to the storm drains which lead to the sewers.

After a two block run, Donnie jumped into the cool river. Behind him the forty ninjas jumped after him! Underwater was darker than the outside, and was debatably pitch black. Don dove further and further, and panicked seeing the ninjas unsheathing and turning on their underwater flashlights.

Oh shell, the river was such a bad idea. This was defiantly not Don's night. Now they could easily follow him to the storm drains, and it sounded like such a good idea at the time. It was a good time to abandon the river, so Don swam away from the ninjas. Coming up to the surface, Don took one breath when he heard someone yelling his name.

"DONNIE!"

At first Don was relieved to see Raph standing at the river's edge, but that was before forty ninjas completely surrounded him in the very dark water. Gloved hands were tightly holding to Don's arms and legs, and Don tried to fight them off. Successfully he managed to knock out ten or twelve, but they just kept coming.

"Get away from him!" Raph yelled over the incentive splashing. Don's ninja skills were depleted when he was outnumbered and in the middle of the river. A few ninjas jumped out of the water to combat Don's brothers. Enough ninjas still held Don captive until they could drag him to land.

Too much water from the struggle had entered Don's lungs leaving him coughing and heaving for breath. His heart pounded painfully in his ears from the near drowning experience, but still four ninjas held him captive. They even bound his hands with strong cords, and forced him to his knees.

"Drop your weapons" The ninja holding Don's mask tails yelled to the other turtles ",or you will have one less brother to worry about." Just then a polished blade dangerously hovered on Don's neck. The ninja jerked Don's mask; forcing his head to rise more. This exposed the blade and Don's unprotected neck for all to see.

He couldn't see them, but Don heard Leo's katanas, Raph's sias, and Mickey's nun chucks hitting the sidewalk. Closing his eyes against the chaos, Don searched his mind for a solution, but only found one that would result in self-sacrifice.

Buying time, Don spoke to the ninja holding the blade. "You only need one of us, right? Take me and lave my brothers alone."

"Shut up, turtle!" spat the ninja, and the blade pressed just a little more. The were a momentary sting then the hot tricking of blood. Hearing Mickey's gasp, Don gritted and tried again as his hands reached for the smoke pellets in the his belt. "Leo, you remember reading Socrates' Death with me, right?" Got them!

"Wha…"There was a silence, but then Leo realized what Don was saying. "You…Oh no, DONNIE! NO!"

"What's going on?" Raph demanded angrily as he normally was when out of the loop.

"Socrates was offered an escape by his friends, but Socrates answered no. He wished to die for a greater cause, he called it- wisdom." Don felt a tear sliding down his face. "I'll do the same, but my cause will be…for love."

With bounded wrist, Don smacked the pellets to the ground. Seven pellets of smoke caused an almost opaque mist to surround Don.

"RUN!" Don screamed to his brothers. "LEAVE ME! SAVE YOURSEVES!"

"You impudent scum!" The ninja cursed near Don's head.

"DONNIE!"

"Mickey, we have to go!"

"Not without Don!"

"There's no time, Raph! This is what…LET'S GO! NOW!"

Don allowed himself one smile hearing his brothers leaving. At least they were safe, and in the end wasn't that what truly mattered. Half expecting the blade to slice his neck-ending his life, Don was surprised when nothing happened. The smoke cleared, and he was still alive. Still he smiled seeing his brothers had obeyed his last wishes.

"You must be wondering why we spared your pitiful existence." The ninja sneered. "Our master needs but one of you. Oh you will die in the way most fitting for you, Donatello. You will die for science."

Pain erupted in his skull when the blunt of the ninja's katana hit the back of it. Don collapsed in darkness with his fleeting thoughts on his brothers and sacrifices to Asclepius.

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_Yep! People are going to kill me! LOL! Anyway, that's chapter 1. Hope you enjoyed it. I encourage people to critique, praise, or give out cookies! Me love cookies! _

_-Weezellee_

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	2. Darkness

_Hey, guys!_ _Capter 2 is now up! Yeah, I know. I should have just put up chapter 2 the same time as chapter 1. Oh well! I didn't mention that this fic takes place in the Fox 2003 cartoon series; sometime after_ "_Aliens Among Us" in Season 4. That's...somewhat helpful to remember, but don't worry. You'll still get the jist of it if you haven't watched the episodes up that that point._

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything!! Seriously, have you seen my checking account?_

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Chapter II: Darkness

"A good decision is based on knowledge and not on numbers."  
Plato

The walk back through the swears was the longest Leo had ever remembered. The pain just won't stop; neither would silence and time. It was like a nightmare he believed he would wake up screaming. Cold sweet would driping from his face, he would run into Donnie's room. There Donnie would be sleeping still at his desk with his head resting on his folded arms. He would be only sleeping, not dead. Not...dead.

Mickey broke down instantly. Falling to his knees in pure grief, Mickey cried unbearable sobs into his hands. Raph followed him; cradeling the youngest to his shaking chest. Looking at his remaining brothers, Leo wanted nothing more than to join, but they had to keep moving."

"We have to keep moving." Leo said in a low, deadpan voice. "The…They're following us."

Raph's voice held more emotion as he growled, "Those bastards." Leo had never heard Raph so broken no so angry in his life. Tears were all flowing down every face, and Leo was breaking. Slowly, like an undertow, the grief was pulling him under into a suffocating ach.

Leaning against the sewer's cold, brick wall. Leo tried to concentrate on something that would lessen the pain. Each time he even tried, Donnie's face appeared in that last moment before…

Oh God, Leo breathed in shaking. Don was dead? NO! He couldn't be! It had to be a sick trick deployed by the ninjas to lower their guard long enough for an attack. Emotionally battered and beaten, the brothers would be easy targets to follow. Then it would be all over.

As if in a daze, Leo turned firmly back to the ladder where they just came from. Reaching a hand, he found the rung in front of him. The iron bar was so cold, but Leo hardly could feel the icy bite to it now. He could hardly feel the tears now or hear Mickey's heartbreaking sobs.

"Leo? Leo, wait!" Raph called as Leo slowly began climbing. Suddenly there was a strong hand gripping Leo's ankle just as he was about to push the sewer cover off.

"Where are you going?" Raph demanded; his voice still raw from anger.

Leo sighed, putting a hand to his face. "I'm going to give you guys time to get back to the lair and warn Master Splinter. Take Mickey and…"

"Hell no!" Raph snarled, his grip tightening. "You're not going to sacrifice yourself too! Not now!"

Leo jumped down as the bottled emotions began breaking. "It's what Donnie would have wanted, Raph! We have to move while there's still time!"

"What about you?" Raph demanded, merely one foot from his brother in the damp darkness. "Donnie would have wanted us ALL alive! Damn it, Leo! You can't…just…" Raph's turn to break. Instead of caving to his knees like Mickey, Raph resorted to violence. Taking out a sia, he plunged the iron into the brick mortar. Still gripping the handle, Raph heaved and hissed while tears fell.

Leo's voice almost snapped in half as he yelled, "I have to protect _this_ family! There's no other choice, Raph. Donnie's…dead." There, he said it. He wasn't surprised by the grief saturated scream that erupted from his red banded brother. Now is when a brother would stop and comfort, but there was no time. Already…the smoke from Donnie's smoke pellets was dissipating. The alarm over the manhole was broken with Leo's katanas. That was odd, Leo thought, he hardly remembered running or destroying it. Too many emotions; too many tears.

"Take Mikelangelo. Get to the lair." Leo said emptily. "Warn father, and get to a safe place."

"No."

Leo turned to Raph who stood solid despite the crushing tragedy. Leo didn't want to fight his own brother in this. All his eyes could see was Donnie's body lying broken and bleeding, surrounded by honorless assassins. Thinking of his brother's murderers made Leo's muscles taunt and his eyes burn.

"Raph." Leo breathed, "I'm not asking. As your leader and oldest brother, I'm ordering you."

"I won't loose both of you." Raph snarled. "You can't do that to us. You ain't got that right as a leader or a brother."

"It's what Donnie would have wanted!" Leo was yelling now. "To save US! That is why he sacrificed himself!"

Raph yelled back, "All of us, Leo! Donnie died to keep us all safe! He died for you!"

No. Leo could accept that Don died for the others. Leo could accept that Donnie gave that final show of devotion for Raph, Mickey, and Master Splinter, but… No, he couldn't deny it either.

"STOP!" A familiar voice screamed from the sewer floor. Both turned to an emotionally fallen brother. Mickey stood, facing both of them with a firm expression.

"Please…" Mickey breathed, "Just…stop fighting. I…He didn't like it when you guys fought." Mickey broken again into half-stifled sobs.

Then Leo realized.

Leo was the one who read Socrates' Apology when they were twelve. The story was inside a discarded Philosophy college book. Leo knew where the taped, tattered book of Philosophy lied in their lair. Don room.

_"Plato, drawing on the words of his teacher Socrates, considered the soul as the essence of a person, being, that which decides how we behave. He considered this essence as an incorporeal, eternal occupant of our being."_

_"Leo, where do you think we go when we die?"_

_"Well, Master Splinter says that…"_

_"I know what Master Splinter believes. I want to know what you believe?"_

_"…I don't know, Donnie. I hope Plato and Master Splinter are right; that our souls don't die; only our bodies. I also hope that we go to a place like Valhalla where we can stay together."_

_"I hope for that to, Leo."_

Philosophy sounded nicer when Don told stories of Socrates, Aristotle, and Plato. When explaining things not many would understand, Don had a way of making it sound like a story full of plots and climaxes.

Now the stories were gone; lost in a cloud of smoke. A hundred little things of Donnie creped into Leo's conscience. There were the blueprints of dreamy inventions lining Don's bedroom wall. There was the half-finished dreams littered on the floor. There was Donnie's witty humor that sometimes slipped by for two seconds before everyone laughed.

Just like his stories and Socrates; Don was gone.

All this went through his mind quickly, and he didn't know he was crying until he was right out sobbing into Raph's shoulder. His own hands clutched at his brother's shell until his knuckles turned white. Grief screams also erupted from already worn lungs.

Donatello, his brother, was gone.

* * *

He awoke to darkness and someone crying. It took him a good two seconds that he was the one sniffling to the darkness. Puzzled by why he was crying for, Don's mind train was derailed by a sharp nausea and a throbbing headache.

"Am I dead?" Don whimpered to the darkness. His mind replayed those last moments before darkness became his world. He sighed for a moment knowing his brothers were safe, but his mind couldn't just be contemned with that. How did he know they were safe?

Everything was cold. The air felt barely below freezing, and the concrete floor felt even colder. Being cold-blooded, Don's first physical priority was to stay warm and awake. Despite the fact that his mind was a buzz of haze, Don rolled to his stomach. Bad idea, Don moaned as he waited for the bile in his stomach to raced.

Looking around him, Don found himself in complete darkness. The black air had a presence by itself, but maybe that was just Don's paranoia. The oxygen smelled stale and salty and had the prominent aroma of dead fish.

The piers? Near the fish market?

Moving around slowly, Don realized he was imprisoned in a cellar. Around him lied piles of empty and full crates for fish. "So, that's why it smells so fishy in here." Don mind laughed at his Mickey impersonation.

The reason it was so darn cold was a large vapor-compression cycle refrigerator through out the whole cellar. He could hear the fan built near the evaporator above him. Don thought, for the hot air to escape; there must be a duct built behind the evaporator. Now where's the evaporator valve?

Moving around the walls carefully, Don noted that his bo staff was missing along with his bag, shurikens, smoke pellets, and mostly everything but his mask, knee and elbow pads.

"Not much to work with." Don mentally huffed. Hope sprang from his fingers as he touched a very real knob. The valve! Carefully reading the valve with his finger tips, Don turned it off and heard the van give a very obvious moan before finally stopping its blades.

The room turned from icy cool to warm to hot. Don could have shot himself! He only shut off the fan and the condenser- not the evaporator! He only stopped the refrigeration cycle from cooling the vapor created by the evaporator. If had turned off the evaporator, there would be nothing to feed into the compressor resulting in room temperature. Now the effect was worsened. High-pressured vapor was moving through the system with no way to cool itself.

Already the pipes were rattling with pressure. Don cursed to himself. Some engineer, he cursed, I'm such an idiot! It was a stupidly easy mistake, but there wasn't time to kick himself in the shell. The pipes were about to burst.

With the fan near the compressor off, the duct was being blocked by only the evaporator. However, the evaporator was at scolding-flesh level. Having no choice, Don ran up the stairs blindly to the cellar doors. Now the pipes were having seizures and vapor was spouting through cracks in the iron pipe.

Locked- welted more like it. No matter how hard he kicked, the door wouldn't budge. He had no choice. Running, Don turned the compression value back on. It took a few seconds, but soon the vapor was being pushed through the expansion valve and into a working compressor.

_"In the vapor-compression refrigeration cycle, heat is transferred from a lower temperature source to a higher temperature heat sink. Heat naturally flows in the opposite direction, and due to the second law of thermodynamics work is required to move heat from cold to hot. A food refrigerator or freezer works in much the same way; it moves heat out of the interior into the room in which it stands."_

Don knew all of this. But hey, he panicked, okay? He wasn't sure if he was dead, his brothers were dead, or a combination of the two. He made a very Mikey mistake- start turning off all values and buttons on sight when captured. Step two, steep back and see if it works to your advantage. If not, blame it on bad luck. If so, indulge in fifteen minute happy dance.

With the fridge system working, Don logically turned to where he found the valve. Reaching just a few inches, he found the rest of the control switches and values. Blushing from his mistake again, Don found the off switch to the whole system. Okay, so Einstein can make a lamebrain mistake.

Turning it off, Don listened as the system sputtered off. It was be incurably stupid to still touch a evaporator coil still hot. But this was better than freezing to death. Looking around for another possible exit, Don found nothing. Nothing but a lot of fish-filled boxes that is. So…he was trapped until the evaporator coil to cool.

Searching the room again, Don found an iron pole with no obvious purpose. It was rusty and cold, but it was something. Now he could dismantle the coil without fear. Moving toward the evaporator, the door opened.

Dodging to the shadows under the stairs, he stood in silence as light shown light a spotlight from the doors. Don took a silent breath as his captors walked down the wooden stairs. In the new light Don could see how old and dirty the cellar fridge room was.

"He's not here, and the fridge is off." One foot ninja informed the others following him.

The a voice chuckled, but Don was captured by how familiar the voice was. "He is the smart one."

Baxter Stockman. Why should be by surprised? The corrupted scientist did work for the Shredder anyway. Don soon heard the metallic footsteps of Stockman's Utrom-inspired cyber body.

"Very clever, Donatello!" Stockman nearly shouted to the small cellar. "You are to be commended for your self-sacrifice. You figured out our trap well before your capture. Your family is alive for the time being. I'll personally keep it that way if you comply."

Don snarled. Another trap? It had to be. His hands tighter on his newly found weapon, and he choice to be silent. He would only trust Stockman if there was…

Stockman chuckled, "How very ninja-like. You must be asking why would I ever trust someone like Baxter Stockman, none less the Shredder." Stockman walked into the center of the room, but Don was still well away from his sight. "The truth is…Donnie," He slurred Don's shortened name with mockery. "you have to comply with us. You believed that we wanted to find your lair? Well, we found it, thanks to you."

Don took a sharp gasp as Stockman continued. "Oh yes, your sacrifice became a waste. We haven't found the exact location of your home; only a vague direction in where it is. Once your brothers left, knowing you were dead, we tracked them, but lost them in the labyrinth of the sewers you know so well."

"On to current matters, the Shredder is very interested in you especially Donatello. After the invasion of the Triceratons you managed to salvage a lot of high-tech equipment."

"Even your association with a Professor Honeycutt has sparked my Master's interest. Despite my immense genius, I have yet to control or alter the alien technology found here."

Stockman was in shooting distance. "Now you realize our positions, Donatello. The Shredder is willing to extend you a application sheet to join us."  
Knowing that there was no need to hide, Don stepped out of the shadows. Using his best impersonation of a Raph tone, Don growled, "And what is it in for me?"

Having Don just appeared in the shadows, Stockman jumped in surprise. Then clearing his 'throat', he leered. "For you? How about the Foot ninjas being ordered not to attack your family. What if I arranged some soldiers to actually aid your brothers in destroying the Purple Dragons' head quarters."

"Nice try, Stockman." Don folded his arms. "We already know you and the Purple Dragons are allies. Actually, my family has a bigger score to settle with the Foot. Also past experiences have led to a mutual dishonesty between us."

Nodding, Stockman sighed, "Allow me first to say that this is a last resort. My Master needs that technology."

Rising an eye ridge, Don inquired, "To do what? Take over the planet? If you haven't noticed, doc. That's exactly what our lives have been trying to prevent."

"Answer me this, why do you fight? You can't get recognition for it." Stockman leered, "Also if the ones you save learn of your existence would either scream and run into the other direction or they'll hunt you and sell you to a government genetics lab. The humans who devote your lives consider you to be monsters. That is why you hide, right? You hide for safety against the ones you protect. Where is the logic in that."

Don was stunned. Not that the question was new. They had all considered, debated, and talk about their reasons of saving a world that would have them cast aside. In the end there was only one answer.

"It's the right thing to do." Don scowled.

Stockman laughed at this, "The right thing to do? Did you get this slogan from your brother's comic books? If you haven't noticed, the world doesn't operate on what ethical. We must take care of our own. Look out for yourself before diving into the world's problems, my boy. There lies true happiness."

"Now, if we're done debating on trivial matters." Stockman towered over Donatello in order to create some dominance. "You're in no position to refuse my offer. You see, I'm using a popular American tradition: blackmail."

"We already have ninjas surrounding the area where your home is." Stockman's hologram head smiled as his monitor above his chest showed a map of lower Manhattan. On the green-scale map was the exact location of the family's lair marked in red. Don shivered inwardly; they did know where it was, or at least they were guessing. That was a pretty big area marked in red. "We also have the locations of your human allies. April O'Neil, Casey Jones, and Angel Hillier. They will be shot without question by our ninjas that are right now within their doorsteps.'

Stockman winked, "I only have to give an order, and this part of the city will be six feet under. We've placed explosives in the sewers and subway tunnels in the area. These level support beams will be destroyed resulting in the death of half a million people including your mutated family."

Stockman had exploited and damaged Don's weakness before him. All the turtle could do was grit his teeth and toss his makeshift bo staff to the floor. It clanked loudly to the concrete floor.

Looking up to the shell of a man, Don felt his anger boil. There was no hope to hold to. His brothers, along with the world, believed him to be dead, nonexistent. Now his enemy held his home in his palm along with a few densely populated city blocks. He had to comply. He had to work for the enemy.

"I'll take that as a yes." Stockman sneered.

Don growled, "You won't get away with this."

"Oh really." Stockman laughed, "That's an empty threat, Donatello. WE both know that. Your brothers are right now finding your broken bo staff. I can hear their pathetic cries now. And your father. He isn't well is he? You've been hiding the fact from your brothers that your father is suffering from old age. Knowing that one of his sons is dead might do him in."

"Shut it, Stockman!" Don yelled, "You've got what you want. What honor you have in that tin-can, I want you to swear to me they'll remain UNHARMED!"

"I promise you, Donatello. If you uphold your promises to the Shredder, your family will remain in ignorance. The Foot will be ordered never to attack your family as long as you remain loyal to us."

"Fine." Don snarled, "I'll do it."

Stockman clasped a heavy, metal hand on Don's shell. "There's a good, boy. Now we should be off. We wouldn't want to keep the Shredder waiting.

* * *

No one slept that night. After telling his father of Don's demise, Leo saw something shatter within the old rat. Leo even had the sickening privilege of handing Don's bo staff to Splinter. The old rat cradled it in his hands, looked down at the wooden staff, and gasped.

"He is not dead." Splinter gasped as he clung to the staff firmly. All the turtle brothers looked down to their father in shock. There was a tangible silence in the lair's living area.

Not one sell of Leo's soul wanted to disbelieve Splinter. His heart almost lifted with his words, but his brain showed the still images of that night where he finally found Don's broken bo staff. Don was gone.

Raph was the one who answered, "But…sensei, we saw…"

Interrupting his son, Splinter said, "I believe what you saw must have told you, but did you search your heart. You are brothers, and with this title comes a bond. I have trained you to be both physically and spiritually a team of brothers." He handed Don's staff to his eldest. "Did you trust your eyes too much and your heart not enough? Haven't I told you that your heart, soul, and mind should be trusted more than eyes, ears, and skin?"

"Father…" Leo sighed, tightening his own grip on his fallen brother's staff. "How can you be so certain? There is so much evidence saying other wise. There is none saying he is alive." There was never a harder struggle in Leo's mind.

"Come, we must meditate and feel through the illusions of what we see." Splinter motioned for all sons to follow him into…Donnie's room.

Giving an almost mute whimper, Mickey clung to Leo's arm. Leo shared in his feeling. This was way too soon. Months would have to pass before Leo could dare himself of entering _his_ room.

Walking into the dark room, Leo was overwhelmed with the aroma of Don. It was a cluttered room of unfinished inventions all over the floor. Don's unmade bed sat silently empty in the corner.

"Now, the three of you, form a circle with your hands clasped together." The three obeyed, and Leo felt both Raph and Mickey beside him. With a sad realization, Leo knew this circle was incomplete.

Master Splinter was slightly outside the circle. "Now. Concentrate, my sons. Concentrate on your missing brother. Think of his voice, his smile, his inventions; anything that will consume you in memory of him." Their father turned and closed the door; drowning the room in quiet darkness.

With a reluctance, Leo did so. His broken heart shivered at this. It was too soon for this! But, he felt his brother's hands tightening in his. He was not doing this alone. He had to be strong.

Suddenly, strange things began happening. The room was alive with sounds and memories. Wind seemed to stir in the room until the pages of opened books fanned and flapped. Loose pages took off in the wind tornado were the brothers were the eye of the storm.

Leo opened his eyes in shock, not to see Don's empty room, but his memories of twenty-years. The theme was Don and those interpersonal moments they shared. It was being played before Leo's eye like a fast pace movie. There was Don, fifteen, fighting off five purple dragons during their first official fight. Again, there was Donatello with tears in his eyes as he told his family where he was sent after the Daimyo's son and Draco transported him to a sad future. There was Don holding a shaking Leo in Casey's cabin after a devastating battle left them broken.

"Don." Mickey voice whispered nostalgically beside him, and Leo was reminded that he wasn't alone in seeing this. The wind was growing in speed until Leo's bandana tails were whipping.

Then he heard it, or rather, he felt it.

Donnie's voice.

_"Shut it, Stockman! You've got what you want. What honor you have in that tin-can, I want you to swear to me they'll remain UNHARMED!"_

_"I promise you, Donatello. If you uphold your promises to the Shredder, your family will remain in ignorance. The Foot will be ordered never to attack your family as long as you remain loyal to us."_

_"Fine." Don snarled, "I'll do what you ask."_

_"There's a good, boy. Now we should be off. We wouldn't want to keep the Shredder waiting."_

He's alive! He closed his eyes; wanting to call out to him, but he couldn't. Already the wind was dying around him, and they were all returning to the present, to Donnie's room.

Now he opened his eyes. Mickey was crying into Raph's chest, but this time with happiness. They didn't release hands until a good five minutes passed, and Splinter stood smiling behind Raph.

The happiness of knowing Don was alive was short lived. They had more than enough information to know where Don was, and all emotions in Leo were replaced with raw determination.

They had their first lead.

Stockman.

* * *

_Tee-hee! This is so much fun! What will happen now? Dum dum dum. Okay, so I'm getting a little to excited. Anyway, thanks for reading._

-Weezellee


	3. Incomplete

_Dude! I feel so honored that so many of you read my story! You made my day!! Anway, here's chapter III. In this chapter I'm doing something I might regreat. LOL! Let's say my Japanese SUCKS. I know someone who speaks Japanese is going to laugh their butt off when I...try to. Anyway, just...pretend it's conversational Japanese and not the silly broken words like (English example: She ham eat it good.) shudder LOL! If anything, it will be the unintentionall humor of my story. LOL!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own the turtles. Because if I did, Don would be the star of TMNT 2007 and not in the background saying, "I'm telling you, sir. It's not that type of a phone line!" LOL! _

* * *

Chapter III: Incomplete

"Think not those faithful who praise all thy words and actions; but those who kindly reprove thy faults." -Socrates

They arrived at the Foot tower later that night. The intention for his earlier incarceration at the fish fridge so far from Foot HQ was a precaution measure. Some measure, Don muttered, if his family believed him dead; where was the danger.

The shackles were instantly locked onto his wrist and ankles. Four guards escorted him from the rooftop to the building. They arrived at the Shredder's throne room with little delay, and Don found himself forced on his knees in an honorable bow to his enemy.

Beside the Shredder stood his adopted daughter, Karai. Eyes meet but no words exchanged. What Leo saw in this woman was beyond Don. She even looked pleased with her father's newest scientist or prisoner- Don wasn't sure witch. Hun was there too. All waiting for him apparently.

"Good to see you well, Donatello." The Shredder, unmasked, sneered. "By the looks on your brothers' faces after the battle, I feared the worst." A dark chuckle before a solemn gesture. "I assure that Dr. Stockman has informed you of your purpose here."

Don didn't trust himself to speak. All the boiling rage was rising, so he simply nodded twice. His pride was already the size of a nail; his ethics even smaller. He still wouldn't let the monsters know they've won.

Nodding at this, he motioned to some elite guards who escorted Don into a small elevator. With them, came Karai who looked hesitant before her order, but obeyed. Like a trained dog, Don mentally noted, some things don't change.

The elevator hummed, and they moved downward. Calming his frayed nervous system, Don used this time to meditate. Concentration was near to impossible. Don had his lifetime of stress already at the age of twenty, but this time…it just felt hopeless. He held to that sliver of hope that at least his family was okay.

The elevator stopped at floor 13. How ironic, Don noted to himself as he was forced to march down a dark corridor. Lining the walls were windowless doors with numbers printed on them. Made of iron, the doors held at least four locks each. Between each door was black white wall, and the ceiling was short.

Don sighed. It was the building's prison cells for disobedient ninjas and those who fought back and got caught. Florescent lights whitewashed everything in a tinge of blue.

Not wanting to seem rude, Don made polite conversation with his captor. "So, Karai? How are things? Still playing fetch with your father, I see."

"I did not want this, Dontello." Karai said defensively.

Don cut in, "Funny that you're always defending yourself when your father's not around, isn't it?"

Karai looked to Don as they walked further down the hall. "You think I'm lying."

"No." Don answered honestly, "I don't think you wanted this. You're scared Karai. You're scared of leaving the Shredder because you feel indebted to what he's done for you. Am I wrong?"

His words hit hard at something in her consciousness. She turned her head forward. "May I ask you a personal question, Donatello?"

"Sure."

"If you were in my position and your father as the Shredder, what would you do?"

Don sighed, "I can't answer that completely honestly because I'm not in your position, nor is my father creating corruption. I will say that there does come a time in our lives that we have to stand for what we believe in; no matter what anyone else says…not even our family."

"Have you ever had to make that choice?"

"I've seen Leo do it He stood between us and you."

Karai signaled for her warriors to stop, and she turned fully to him. "What do you mean by that?"

"Listen, Karai." Don sighed, "Leo sees something in you, something good. He's had to go against his family. Everyone of my other brothers, myself, and even my father have questioned his judgment. Raph even went far as to call him an idiot. But, even his entire family against him, Leo still held his ground. He still kept his belief that you have some good in you."

"Have you changed your mind about me, too? Do you understand?"

He grimiest, "I'm a prisoner of your father's. My family…they think I'm dead. I'm possibly never going to see them again. If I disobey any order given, your father…will end their lives along with countless other innocent people. Forgive me for being honest, but I…understand somewhat of your motives. However; I can't accept them. I won't."

Finally they arrived. One guard opened a cell door behind Don, but he didn't turn his glare from Karia. Behind her green eyes, Don saw the conflict that Leo spoke of. She was torn between honor and duty. There were punishments and rewards on each side, but soon she would make that choice she avoided.

Nearly shoved in the dark cell, Don glanced to see Karai shutting the door. Another ironic moment, Don grimly sighed.

There was only one light coming from a dimmed light hanging by it own wiring from the ceiling. The walls were bear with only a stack of straw for furniture.

Scoffing, Don tusked, "The Shredder needs to fire his interior decorator."

Don's hands were still chained together, and the shackles around his ankles only allowed half a step. Completely exhausted, Don slid down to the hay stack. The room smelled from its last occupant with obvious body order problems. It was a degree warmer in the cell than in the fridge back at the piers.

"I hope you're okay." Don silently whispered to the sky.

* * *

"He's where?!" April gasped. 

"The Shredder's tower." Leo answered again as he pulled out a few building schematics and blueprints.

April blinked, "That's what the vision told you?"

"We heard Stockman telling Don they shouldn't keep the Shredder waiting." He said sitting down at the kitchen table. With the table cleared of half-emptied pizza boxes and cereal bowls, they had enough work space. Sitting in the pile were three Foot alarm systems the brothers managed to collect after knowing Don was alive.

"You've already infiltrated the tower before." April knowingly said, "But…Don did most of the info collecting. We're dealing with more security and a newly improved Shredder."

"We ain't got a choice." Raph said firmly. "Why are we even waiting? We should be at the tower."

"April's right." Leo said looking over the maps, "The tower has been remolded with more security systems and even more Foot ninjas. Now the Karari and the Japan ninjas are inside, it will be twice as hard as before."

Raph growled, "We don't have time for this!"

"Raph, cool it!" Leo warned, "Blowing up won't help him."

"Oh, and wasting time with gathering information that we already know will?"

"We don't know what we're up against!"

"Our brothers in there!"

"I know that!"

"STOP IT!" Mickey yelled back from his location on Don's computer. "None of this is helping; especially you guys fighting!" He turned back to Don's computer; typing quickly. "I just broke through the Shredder's security system mainframe." Raph and Leo exchanged shocked looks with April and themselves. Soon they stood behind Mickey who scanned the Shredder's building plans.

"There." Mickey huffed. "The whole building's security blueprints. Each level is broken down to how many toilets they have."

"Mickey…" Leo gasped, "I'm…speechless. How did you…"

Mickey laughed, "Don's not the only turtle with computer know-how, bro. How else do I get those wicked games without a credit card?" Raph chuckled, and Mickey rolled his eyes. "Okay, so Donnie showed me how to break into the Shredder's mainframe. There, happy?"

"Now I am." Raph glared at the screen. "Where do you think Don'll be?"

"Not sure." Mickey answered, "There's no mention of prison cells or detention centers."

Leo pointed, "How about this." Near the right hand of teh screen was a large, blue botton with the word 'DECODE'

"Decode?" Mickey looked to the button. "Why not? He could have been more descriptive. How about a button that says, 'Press here to kick my butt."

"Just click it, goof."

Mickey clicked on it, and soon the screen's format shifted. April was the first to groan. "It looks like the entire plans are written in Japanese."

"All right!" Raph cheered, making April jump, and Mickey exchanged high-fives with Leo.

"I'm confused. What so great about this?"

"It_ is_ Japanese!" Mickey smiled over his shoulder.

Leo smiled, "Hiragana Japanese, to be exact. Splinter taught us to be bilingual with English and Japanese."

"Otouto no shoushuu hiragana toshihisashiku. (_It took little brother three years more_.)" Raph laughed at this.

"Jikei! (_Big brother_!)" Mickey whined, and Leo smacked Raph's head. Mickey smiled, "otsukaresama! _(Thank you!_)"

"Doo itashimashite. (_No problem_)." Leo shrugged.

"Wait! I didn't know you guys spoke Japanese." Case came from behind April.

Leo nodded, "We're only suppose to speak English in front of you guys. It's considered rude to speak a language your friends won't understand when they're present."

"Raph's namari dewa urusai. (_Raph's accent is annoying_.)" Mickey laughed earning a slap from his jikei.

Leo growled, "English, Mickey. Anyway" He turned to April, "this is easily stuff. It's actually telling us more here than in English."

"Obviously, its to lead the police astray if they ever get this far." Raph said.

Mickey gasped, "There! Keimusho reberu juusan! Prison level 13!"

"Seems to be the only prison in the whole building. That has to be it!" Raph grinned. "Good job, Mickey!"

Leo nodded, "Okay, but how do we reach him. I just want to get Don and get out. No need to start a war."

"I was about to suggest the same." Splinter clicked his walking stick three times. All three brothers stood, walked over, and bowed before their master. "You three must retrieve your brother without being seen."

"Yes, sensei." In unison, they spoke.

* * *

After being kicked two dozen times, Don was finally tossed to the stone wall. Hun was having such a lovely time beating the shell out of Don, he forgot about the low ceiling. Managing to bang his head, Hun took out the frustration on the poor turtle. 

Bones in his wrist were now broken, and Don choaked back a hiss of pain when he tried to stand. Blood dripped from his nose and mouth, and his vision was tilting and fizzy. Oh no, Don mentally noted offhandedly, minor concussion.

"What's wrong, freak?" Hun's tiny mouth, in his tiny head asked. "I'm going to unload two years of revenge on your ass!"

Hun sauntered into the cell and kicked Don like a green rag to the other wall. His shell hit hard and absorbed most of the force of the impact. Stone cracked where concrete hit carapace, and a few flakes and dust rained around Don's broken body.

Don now had a shattered arm, and was use to be minor, was now a major concussion.

_"Can't fight back. Can't fight back. Can't even defend myself! If I even give Hun a paper cut, I'll loose everything!"_

Towering over him, Hun leered as Donnie lied in his dark shadow. Rising his fist, Hun laughed devilishly.

"Hun! Stop!" Doctor Stockman ordered from the cell's entrance. Hun backed up, and Don never thought he'd live the day when he wanted to thank Doctor Baxter Stockman. "We wouldn't want you to break our slave on the first day on the job. Donatello, it's time for work. Follow me."

Standing, Don limped after the robotic doctor. He cringed each time, and held his broken arm next to his body. The chains bumping against his broken wrist was hell. He almost blacked out completely half a dozen times before arriving at the elevator.

Stockman waited patiently for his new ward but didn't laugh. When the doors were closed behind Don, Stockman said, "Makes you want to punch him back doesn't it? And you're anger only grows when you know you're defenseless."

"Yeah." Don hissed. "How do you know?"

Stockman laughed dryly, "How do you think I've come into this…existence? I'll take you to the infirmary before we begin. I'll even loan you my wheelchair…"

"That's…not necessary." Don growled. "I'm fine."

Stockman blinked, "Take my advice, Donnie. Take all the handouts you can in this place. It may save your life or buy some more time."

"I said I'm fine, Doctor." Don snarled, "And, don't call me Donnie. You haven't earned that right."

"Suit yourself." Stockman deadpanned. The doors opened and Don was escorted slowly to the sterile infirmary. Motioning to the examining table, Stockman watched Don sitting obediently.

"Now, it's my turn." Stockman laughed devilishly.

Don demanded, "What do you mean?"

"My boy. My boy." The robotic-human doctor chuckled, "The Shredder put you under my servitude. I was going to do this after you helped me with the alien technology, but first I have been fascinated with your mutated DNA. Don't worry, I'll fix you concussion and broken bones, but for my service you have to give something to me."

Ninjas surrounded the table as if expecting Don to fight back. Don looked at them angrily. They wanted an animal? They'll get their animal. Growling deeply in this throat, Don bore his teeth like a caged lion. The ninjas actually backed up with hesitant expressions to each other. Stockman only laughed.

"Now there's no reason to be rude, Donatello." Stockman's metal hand punched Don across the jaw. It was strong enough to have Don crumpling on the white sheet. There would be swelling and bruising there.

"Let's just comply with orders, shall we? That way, we all win. I get my DNA sample, and your pathetic brothers live for another day."

With an exposed shoulder, Don was soon stabbed with a needle by one of the ninja nurses. Don grunted as the syringe vacuumed a good portion of blood. The needle was removed just as harshly, and left open to the elements.

"Got enough, Doctor?" Don raged as he tired to lift his head to glare at the metal-human.

Stockman took the sample from the ninja, smiled, and nodded. "More than enough, thank you. Now for that arm of yours."

* * *

"Tomorrow!" 

Leo sighed. What did he expect from his lest temperate brother?

"Yes, Raph. Tomorrow." Leo repeated as the two stood in the dojo. Both sets of weapons were unsheathed, but this was a harmless spar. Leo wasn't sure what he was thinking by telling Raph they weren't leaving until tomorrow night while Raph had dangerous sias in his hands.

"May I ask why?" Raph growled as he attacked with a flying kick.

Leo dogged it by ducking, "Because…ugh!" Leo swept under, catching Raph's unarmed leg with his arm. Soon Raph was vaulting through the air, giving Leo time to talk. "There's less ninjas at the tower after dark."

Raph was charging again, sias drawn. "What does that" he began slicing near his brother's face while blocked the blows with his swords "have to do…ah…with anything!"

"Master Splinter ordered us not be…hahi…seen." Leo said, turning his defense to offence, but Raph meet him hit by hit. Metal against metal clanked and echoed through the dojo. "Get Donnie…ahhhh…and get out!"

Taking up another tactic, Leo pushed Raph back and jumped himself a few feet backwards. Walking in a circle, facing each other, the two took a momentary break.

"Now that we know where he is; you want to take your time?!" Raph snarled. "What happened to that nut case who wanted to face forty ninjas by him self?"

"That was different." Leo panted, "We were in danger!"

Raph snapped back, "Oh, and what is Donnie in right now? Having tea with Hun?"

"We won't be much help to him if we run into a fight we can't beat!"

"What, can you tell the future now, Leo? Waiting will make little difference now!"

"Why must you always be so impulsive?!"

"They have my brother! I say that's enough reason to blow up the whole damn place!"

"I want to rescue Don just as much as you do Raph, but…"

"Then start acting like IT!"

The sparring match turned from harmless to two brothers releasing frustration and fear on each other. Attacks were more aggressive, and blows held more power behind them.

"Raphael! Leonardo! Stop this immediately!" Splinter's voice cried over the loud clank of metal. This did little, so Mickey, standing behind his master, cursed under his breath, and jumped dangerously between them.

Catching one sia and one katana in his numb chucks, Mickey stopped the fight just in time. The free sia and katana were raised to smite down who dared come between them. Seeing that it was their own brother, both elder brothers stopped.

Glaring at both, Mickey lowered his weapons; freeing his brothers. Silence stretched on for minutes as someone waited for a reaction.

"How will it look to your brother" Splinter walked up to his three sons "seeing his older brothers fighting one another instead of working together in his time of need? Now is when we must come together; not fight one another. If you do not stop this senseless fighting, I and Michelangelo will infiltrate their stronghold with you. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, master." Leo and Raph answered in dejected tones.

Splinter's eyes squinted. "Good. That is enough practice for tonight. We'll need our rest for tomorrow." Turning, the old ninja master walked back to his room. Once the door was slid closed behind him, Mickey huffed after tossing his chucks toward a random wall.

"Night, guys." Mickey said without his natural light-hearted smile. "Get some rest. Obviously, you need it."

"Mickey…I'm…" Leo called gently.

Snapping back, Mickey turned around. "Leo" he sighed "I know you guys both want Don home as much as I do. It's just…" There was a pained look in his eyes, and he turned way. "Never mind. Let's just get our brother."

Mickey returned to his less-than-clean room, and boneless on his bed. Breathing in, Mickey stared at the ceiling remembering what Donnie told them after they returned from their separate journeys when the Daimyo and Draco attacked with both the War Staff and Time Scepter.

_"A race! An actually galactic, motorcycle race!" Mickey gasped in the wonder of it all._

_Raph stretched, "Yep. Won to! It was a charity race, but it was rigged by this nut job. Lucky for me I was racing with a real champ, Godman Falcon. The dude had one sweet ride."_

_"How about you, Donnie?" Mickey asked, "You hadn't even mentioned where you went. I'm dying to know! Leo fighting with a giant snake and ninjas! Raph on his galactic motorcycle race! And I was fighting with real superheroes from another dimension!"_

_"I…" Don bit his lip. Then he stood, stretched, and yawned, "Don't you think that's enough story telling for one day. I'm beat."_

_"Come one, Don." Raph encouraged, "You can't leave us hanging like this. When we turned from our separate trips, you hugged us like no other. Then you rambled on about Mickey having both hands."_

_Don shrugged, "What can I say? After we split up, I was worried. Seeing you guys was a real moral buster shot, end of story."_

_"Come on, Don." Leo prompted, and the purple clad turtle turned to Leo was a pained expression._

_Sighing, Don sat down. Already there were tears in his eyes. Surrounded by his brothers did not make it easier. Thankfully the spontaneous flashbacks had ended, but he was still waking up in the night in cold sweet. Nightmare after nightmare._

_"All right." Don clutched his hands, but refused to look at anyone._

_"Don." Leo concerning called, placing a hand on Don's shoulder._

_Don bit his lip before blubbering. "I was transported to the future, okay? New York City, 30 years from now. The Splinter had taken over the whole world; reducing the populous to servants in labor camps. April was commander of a small resistance with Angel." Don took a deep breath, "Mickey…fond me after I was attacked by some Karia Legions. He thought I abandoned you guys for 30 years."_

_"Me?" Mickey sounded shocked, "I would never…"_

_Leo hushed his little brother. Obviously this was hard for Donnie. "The Shredder ruled like a dictator. Then…Mickey took me to Central Park, or what was left of it. Near a oak tree…was Splinter's grave. He died saving you guys, or that's what Mickey told me. Then he said we weren't a team anymore; that Raph and Leo got into a big fight. Afterwards, he took me to April's base camp where I learned that Casey passed away in a fight against the Shredder."_

_"I asked Mickey to get Raph and Leo for one more fight against the Shedder. We attacked his own base with all we had." Don chuckled, "Even Hun and Stockman helped. But they were soon killed." Don heaved preparing himself psychologically. "First was…" Don had to stop as he reached for Mickey's hand. He had to tell himself it wasn't true. Mickey was here; alive, and so where Raph and Leo. They weren't dead. They weren't dead._

_"I had to watch you die." Don reached for Raph's hand. Oddly, he didn't cry as badly as previously feared. _

_"Donnie." Raph sighed, as he could only imagine how…devastating that would be._

_Don shock his head, "It's fine. We won." Don swallowed and smiled. "The Shredder was destroyed. We finally did it, and I'm happy to say that future is not written in stone."_

What if it is, Mickey, in the present time, wondered sadly. What if Don really left, Leo and Raph had the ultimate break up, Splinter died. What if all these horrible nightmares became their reality. Mickey could only breath knowing that if he personally saw those images; his father's grave, his brothers being murdered, he surely would crack under it all.

"We won't let that future happen." Mickey vowed. "We'll get you back, Donnie. Then we'll be a team again. We can't do it without that level head of yours."

* * *

_I cried when I wrote this. Okay, so I'm the most emotional of my famly. Sorry about my sucky Japanise. LOL! Anway, thank you so much for reading! Comments, reviews, even a small 'hi' is welcomed!! Feed the hungry writer!! (BTW: That flashback happened after "The Real World" Part II and is about "Same as it Never Was")_

-Weezellee


	4. Back to the Cave

_Dude! You guys rock for reading this far! Anway, this chapter has my own take on the Allegory of the Cave from Plato's Republic Book VII. Dude, I love Philsophy! I miss it so. Again, you don't need to know what the Allegory of the Cave is to get the jist of it. _

_Disclaimer: Do I own TMNT or Plato or Socrates? Let us ponder that. Uh...heck NO!_

* * *

Chapter IV: Back to the Cave

"Is a prisoner of the cave likely to want to make the ascent to the outer world?"

-Plato's Republic, Book VII

Don lost hope in surviving another beating. Hun was growing more reckless, and there seemed no end to the suffering. Sadly, it was only the third or forth day since his capture. He wasn't sure which; time was unknown yet valuable asset.

"That's what happens when you use alien technology on human computers." Don rolled his eyes. "I had to format a whole new software system using a few helpful hints from the Triceraton program itself. You can run the alien program on any of the major human software mainframes. It just won't work, not even if you alter it."

Stockman smirked, "Now, why didn't I think of that? I've run all my programs through these software. I never imagined it was the software's problem. How ever did you figure this out?"

Shrugging, Don sat up from the computer chair. "It just…came to me."

Laughing, Stockman said, "Came to you? Now you'll start telling me you believe in visions."

"Call it inspiration, then." Don spat. "Tell me, why would the Shredder want all his computers running on alien technology."

"Security." Stockman shrugged, "The government can't break into a computer system they don't understand."

"More deception creates a bigger trap." Don smirked, "What happens when this all hits the fan?"

"It won't." Stockman frowned. "If you so curious about this operation. I'll tell you something. The Shredder final goal is the rule the world; as we both know. He's just setting up the bombs before they blow."

"There'll be people to stop him."

"Who?" Stock man scoffed, "You? Your pitiful brothers? A group of society rejects from a mutated mistake?"

"We're not the only ones who will do the right thing."

Stockman sat at the computer. "Well, I wouldn't want to insult a hero's philosophy in 'doing the right thing.' Tell me again, Donatello, did you gain anything from your fruitless life? Fighting crime for people who'd rather see you dead that rooming the streets? I've always been curious of your motives of why an intelligent…creature such as yourself would do it."

"You wouldn't understand." Don frowned, "You're too busy with your personal wants to even consider there might be other people involved."

"That's your best debate." Stockman snickered. "You know, if you joined the Foot willingly, then the Shredder would grant you amnesty as well as your family."

"Amnesty?" Don glanced around Stockman's lab. It was very high tech and dark. Consoles lined the walls, and Don recognized a few familiar Foot tech. Grimacing, Don walked over to a stasis container big enough for a human. Inside was a human, a young boy, a little younger than himself. The liquid surrounding the boy was of greenish translucency.

"Amnesty" Stockman turned to Don "for interfering with his affairs."

Sharply turning, Don said "You have a warped perception of what constitutes as 'his affairs.' Especially when it comes into conflict with innocent people."

"That's the way of the world, my boy. The Constitution calls it the pursuit of happiness."

"That's only if that pursuit comes into conflict of another's." Don snapped.

"That idea only works for fair tales. The real world works on a more…inequitable scale."

"So, that's why you follow the Shredder?" Don leered, "You have no real loyalty for him. He's just the one on the top right now."

Stockman shock his head, "Oh Donnie, you and your pursuit of justice. Don't you know justice is only defined by the biggest dog. You make it sound like justice is something applicable and steadfast despite political factors."

"Justice is separate from politics." Don growled, "I figured you'd believe in such a manner. You think the better argument wins over truth. You can brainwash a whole nation to believe lies, and there's nothing wrong with that?"

"If the tactic is effective; then why not?"

"It's not right!"

"There you go again, trying to confess to the illusion of what's right and wrong. You believe in Darwin and natural selection, don't you? I'm just abiding by that belief. The last one standing makes the rules of what's right and wrong. You and your family are fighting for the ideals of American justice. America is the big dog, so you fight for the ideals of capitol hill. I wonder, what would the situation would be if the Nazis won World War 2."

"I would fight back." Don snarled, "There is a higher justice that only answers to reason. Corruption is born from ideals like yours. Sure, we don't live in a perfect world with perfect ideals, but can you say your life is better than mine? Your own soul is in turmoil trying to find the best situation to be in. What happens when the Shredder is no longer the big dog? Where will you go? These questions are constantly on your mind, aren't they? You like a scared mouse, constantly looking for a safe place, but never really living life. I may die with my ideals of justice, but at least I won't live in fear."

That obviously wasn't what Stockman wanted to hear. Questioning the doctor's sophistic philosophy, Don had come out victorious. But, he momentarily forgot who was the prisoner.

With one press of a button on his armored arm, Stockman turned on the electroshocks placed on Don's neck. In a swallowed scream, Don fell to his knees as the electricity pulsated painfully from the collar around his neck.

After two minutes of pure torture, it stopped. Don was on his knees panting, aching. His chained hands laid on his laps.

"Now who's the scared mouse?" Stockman stated as he stood over Don; his shadow covering the poor turtle.

_"Can't fight back. Can't fight back. Can't even defend myself. If I do…I'll loose everything."_

"Stand." Stockman ordered, and Don obeyed despite his struggle within.

_"Think of them. Leo, Raph, Mickey, Master Splinter, April, Casey, Leatherhead. You CAN'T fight back!"_

"Now." Stockman pulled on the chains; almost making Don fall. "Build the software."

He was so tired. He had no food or water for three days, and he was defending a broken arm and wrists. Sleep was robbed and replaced with nightmares of the worst degree. Half a dozen times, Don woke up screaming, sweating, and crying.

Sitting at the computer, Don saw his own reflection on the black screen. Was that really him? That broken, sad thing looking back at him with dead eyes? Pitiful, Don mentally murmured, as he turned on the computer.

* * *

Standing on the rooftop, Leo glared at the Foot tower. Raph's plan in rescuing Don and blowing the whole damn thing off the face of the earth sounded good then. Beyond the buildings the sun was setting. The city was already twinkling with lights as the sun vanished beyond the horizon. The warmth from the sun warmed Leo's shell as his face was turned to the cold East and the tower.

Don never felt so close in the past three days. Leo closed his eyes, cleared his mind, and concentrated. His plan was simple to describe yet he felt like he was jumping off a cliff.

Mentally he would try to contact Don with meditation. When they found out that Donnie was still alive, it was like Leo could feel him. There was a moment that Leo swore, if he opened his mouth, that he could speak with him.

"Concentrate." Leo whispered to himself. Surrounding his thoughts with his brother, Leo felt the air stir. For a fleeting moment, Leo felt his soul leaving. The air roared around him, and he could no longer feel the rooftop from his feet. His heart beat was fading.

"LEO!"

Raph had been watching Leo for a few minutes without him knowing. Both were staring at the building; thoughts of revenge racing through Raph's mind. Leo stood on the very edge of the brick building while Raph sat silently watching nearby.

About to make his presents known, Raph stood. Then he began running, screaming while Leo motionlessly began falling. Standing still, Leo's body fell to the ground below. The fall wasn't high or anything, and Leo's ninja skills could handle such a leap. But…it was the way Leo fell that filled Raph's heart with fear. He fell strait as a damino piece off the edge of a table.

"LEO!" Reaching the edge, Raph reached down and gripped Leo's ankle. The momentum of Leo's falling body, pulled Raph off the rooftop also. Reaching up, Raph grabbed the rooftop ledge. Being stopped by Raph, Leo's body slammed into the building's wall. Grimacing, Raph scanned the area.

An pile of trash bags lied in the alley's left corner. Maybe, Raph thought. Using his strength in his arm, Raph launched his big brother in that direction. Right on target, Leo feel like a rag on top of the pile that saved his life.

"Leo, what the hell, man?" Raph nearly screamed as he landed near his older brother. "You want me to have a…LEO!"

He wasn't moving, and Raph was panicking. Running into the garbage heap, Raph pulled Leo out of the pile. Still not moving. In the limited light, Raph laid his brother on his back.

"Don't you _dare!" _Raph snarled. "Don't you dare do this to me, Leo!"

Leaning closely, Raph released the fear as Leo released his breaths in an even tempo. His chest was rising. He was alive.

"Musta' hit your head, huh?" Raph gently rubbed Leo's face with a attentive hand. Still Leo didn't move.

"D-Donnie…"

Raph blinked at this. Leo's mouth opened and murmured their brother's name so softly he almost didn't catch it.

"Leo?" Raph worryingly called. "Leo, can you hear me?"

Leo's face grimiest; as if in pain. Feeling the pulse under Leo's jaw, Raph realized.

_"He's meditating. Trying to reach Donnie mentally." _Raph snarled, "You just couldn't wait for us, huh Fearless? Had to go find him on your own…" There was a tightening in his lips. "Just like you always do."

Looking around, Raph rolled his eyes, "Nice spot, Leo. Doesn't exactly smell like candles, huh?" Raph stood, made sure that no one was around, and knelt down to scoop up his brother in his arms. "Come one, lightweight."

* * *

_Leo found himself at the entrance of a cave. The land around was a dry mountainous country filed with pine and tumbleweeds. Above him wrestled dark clouds filled with rain, but it didn't rain. The area smelled of earth, rain, and stone._

_The cave hole was present in the side of a stone mountain. A cold chill crept to Leo from the back cave before him. A painful aurora was in that chilly cave._

_"Donnie!" Leo called to the mountain side, but only a few raven's caw answered. That is when Leo noticed that the forest surrounding the cave was dying; not from winter or natural cause. It was like the trees were decaying from an illness. A flock of ravens perched on the dying branches and looked down at the lone turtle._

_"What brings you here?" One large, black raven asked._

_Looking at the raven, Leo said, "I'm looking for my brother, Donatello. Have you seen him?"_

_"All that is here is death." The raven cawed, "All that is living is dying. Hope decays here, and soon all will be barren."_

_"I don't understand."_

_"If you wish to find that you seek; can you journey into the Cave? That unknown place where the last remaining life hides from the storm?"_

_Leo turned to the cave in question. The ravens fluttered, but before leaving, the raven cawed._

_"Hurry. You won't want to miss the execution."_

_The raven's last word had Leo running without question into the darkness. Oddly the ground was flat stone once he entered. Before him twinkled a light in the distance, but Leo kept running until he came upon that light._

_It was a dying torch, lighting a small chamber. The room was dark and menacing. The walls were strait gray walls of the same stone the roof and floor were made out of. In the center of the room was a flat stone alter that seemed to be cut from the floor. The entire room seemed to be cut by human hand._

_On the alter sat a small Donatello, around the age of seven. His ankles and wrist were chained to the alter by rusty chains. The purple mask on Leo's brother face was saturated by tears. Sitting with his knees hugged tightly to his chest, Don looked up as Leo entered._

_"D-Donnie!" Leo ran to the small turtle, and gave a long, aching embrace. Don still sat frozen in his position._

_"Oh, Don." Leo whispered; feeling his own tears bursting. "It's okay…It's okay…I'm here, little brother." Don was sobbing. "It's going to be okay."_

_The small turtle shock his head, and Don's young voice said, "No…No. The bad men will be back!"_

_"That is because you refuse to free yourself." A dark voice said from the entrance. Leo turned quickly, swords drawn, and saw an aging man standing at the door. The torch light made this human seem more mystical than real. Dressed in a simple roman robe, the man had a tick gray beard, but he was bald._

_"He has seen the Sun." The man spoke firmly. "Then the Sun became clouded with the Storm. Donatello ran into the Cave where he was born. He chained himself to the Alter, and decided to watch the Shadows. Without him, the outside dies and the Storm will win. The Shadows from the torch create lies. The outside is the truth, reason. Yet, he refuses to leave."_

_"That's him!" Don pointed a chubby, green finger in the man's direction. "That's the bad man! He's trying to make me leave the Cave! It's too bright outside! Too bright; too dead!"_

_Leo held tightly to Don, and glared at the man. "The Cave…Tell me. Outside this cave is dying, why is that?"_

_"I've told you." The man steeped further into the light. Shadows danced around them from the fire. "The Storm came to cloud the Sun, your brother's reason. First, he fought valiantly against the Storm. But, the Storm didn't leave. You brother lost hope, and ran back to his illusions, back to the Cave. Things here are easier for him to understand and accept, but it isn't truth, it isn't reason. He will die here, surrounded by illusions."_

_Leo looked away from the man. Now he understood this place, and he turned to the small brother in his arms. Placing strong hands on trembling shoulders, Leo looked Don in the eye. He was struck by how young Don looked- how scared._

_"Hey" Leo smiled warmly, "Donnie, you have to leave the Cave."_

_Donnie shock his head, "No, I can't! It's too scary, Leo."_

_"I know." Leo's smile faltered for a moment, "But, don't you miss the Sun? It's beautiful when your Sun is shinning." Tilting Don's dropped chin with a finger, Leo said. "It's beautiful when it shines through you."_

"LEO!" _It was Raph, and the scream came from anywhere and everywhere. With a hard realization, Leo knew his time here was about to end. Turning to Don, Leo spoke firmly._

_"Don, you have to leave the Cave. You have to fight the Storm."_

_"You're leaving me again?" Don demanded tearfully, and how that face hurt._

_Leo bit back the tears. "Only for a little while, but…I can't free you from this alter. You have to do that for yourself."_

_"I'm scared." Don cried as he tired his best to wrap chained arms around his brother's neck._

_Leo closed his eyes tightly. "I know. I know, but please Donnie…" The Cave was fading. There wasn't much time. "Donnie, be brave, okay? You never fight alone; remember that, okay? I'll be here. We'll all…be here…"_

_"Leo? LEO! DON'T LEAVE ME! LEO! LEONARDO!"_

"LEONARDO! LEO, WAKE UP! DAMN IT!"

Snapping awake, Leo woke up to chaos both inside and outside himself. The clanking of metal against metal echoed in the small alley. Turning his head slowly, Leo saw Raph fighting back three ninjas.

Standing on shaky legs, Leo unsheathed his swords. Everything went fuzzy for just a moment, only in time for Mickey to scream in terror.

"LEO, LOOK OUT! BEHIND YOU!"

* * *

_Happy grin That was fun, right? I hope people didn't get to confused in the symbolism of the Cave. I know it was a bit...um...illusive. Anway, thanks for reading! There's...about 3 more chapters...or so. sheepish grin_

_-Weezellee_


	5. Without Warning

_Awww! You guys rock! Seriously! Do you know how pathedic my life is? This is my best time of the day! ;; It's so addicting! LOL! All I do is type, work, sleep (sometimes not in the order. LOL!) Anway, here's the newest chapter. Thanks for all the awesome reviews and stuff!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own them. I wish I did. (Wow, that sounds creepy.)_

* * *

Chapter V: Without Warning

"Death is not the worst that can happen to men." -Plato

"Well done, Donatello." Stockman leered over Don's shoulder. Day four, and no end in sight. "You're speed and efficiency is to be commended." Glancing at the turtle, the doctor added, "You don't look well. Have you been sleeping?"

Don only smirked at this. Last nights sleep was his first dream instead of a fleshy nightmare inside his cell. Closing his eyes, Don could almost see Leo's face and feel his comforting words. It was no dream; they were alive, they knew he was alive, and soon he would be home again.

"Daydreaming again, eh?" Stockman growled as he pressed the electroshock again. He seemed to be favoring the button lately. After the pain stopped, Stock man stood, "Back to work. The Master wants this done by tonight. He has something big planned."

Don grimiest, "May I ask what this plan is?"

"Why would I tell you?" Stockman spat.

"I don't know" Don coyly shrugged, "Maybe I'll just sabotage the whole software."

"You won't dare. Not with your family's death just one button push away."

"True." Don smirked, "But, as I see it, you have two strikes against you with the Shredder. If you kill my family, I'll commit suicide or refuse to work. The work you can't finish without me. Where are you going to find another person who knows the system this well?"

"You snide little devil." Stockman snarled, "Don't expect me to hesitate to press this button." He even showed it to Don. It was formatted to his forearm, and Don thought of how stupid the Shredder was. Giving the big red button to an imbecile.

"Oh, you will hesitate." Don pressed, "You're in the hot seat right next to me, doctor. If I die, so does all this software. Then who will the Shredder blame, I wonder. Not me, I'll be dead."

Stockman huffed, "Crafty, Donnie. Perhaps I've underestimated you."

Suddenly the intercom console flashed red. Reaching across, Stockman pressed it, and the hologram of the Shredder appeared. He was standing by Karira.

"Yes, Master?" Stockman timidly smiled.

"Dr. Stockman. Bring Donatello to my throne room immediately."

* * *

Managing to doge the onslaught, Leo somersaulted and gracefully killed the ninja behind him. By the time that ended, Raph and Mickey had stopped fighting. The small group of ninjas were easily defeated.

"Must be scouts." Raph said.

Mickey snickered, "They won't earn merit badges for this." (I love Mickey!!)

"Let's go." Leo motioned to the building. "We don't want the Shredder attacking us first."

Raph grinned. "Now you're talkin'!"

* * *

Don couldn't believe it. On the Shredder's monitor were his brothers; running, obviously, to Shredder Tower. Night had come to claim the city as Don's forth night incarcerated drew to a climatic close.

At first relieved, Don's hope turned to terror. Surrounded by the leaders of the Foot clan, Don felt his helplessness turning his stomach to iron.

The Shredder, appearing as Oroku Saki, glared at the screen until the turtles vanished from the surveillance camera's range. The monitor went black.

"How did the turtles know he was alive?" Oroku demanded directly to Stockman. Hun sat back, folded his arms, and appeared to be enjoying the doctor squirm. Karia turned to Donatello with a tragic expression, and that's when Don knew.

_"Oh God, h-he wouldn't just…" _Don mentally feared.

"Master, I sware to you that Donatello has been scrupulously monitored and guarded." Stockman was running out of time. They knew this by the Shredder's scowl. His robotic eyes squinted in irritation, and his mouth pulled into a snarl.

"Detonate the charges. The turtles are still within the detonation area." Oroku said firmly, "The rat and their human allies are also within the area. They will be killed as well."

"NO!" Don screamed instantly, and tried desperately to fight against the chains. It was futile. Stockman turned on the electroshock collar, and Don was reduced to a heap of ach.

"KARI!" Don yelled through the pain. He looked up at the warrior woman who stood completely frozen, but her face reflected shock. "You can still stop this! You CAN DO THE RIGHT THING!"

"The right thing?" Stockman grinned, "You see, Donnie. There is no justice. There is only power."

"You…YOU'RE WRONG!" Don roared as he jerked his chain leash from Stockman's hand. Using it as a weapon, he whipped it sharply at the doctor. Stockman fell with shock right into Hun. Finally the electroshock was turned off, and Don charged to Oroku. However; he was stopped by Karia's blade catching his chain.

"What the HELL ARE YOU DOING?" Donnie screamed at Kari, "Don't you understand what your father is about to do? He's going to kill hundreds of innocent people!"

"I still cannot stand here while you murder my father, Donatello!" Kari jerked the chain; forcing Donatello on his knees. "Could you? Could you kill your father to save a few strangers?"

Don snarled, "My father would never do such a thing! But, if that's the case; I wouldn't hesitate."

"Master, the explosives have been tampered with!" A ninja soldier rushed in with the news, "Most of them are completely useless!"

"What? How can this be?" Oroku demanded.

"There is hope, Master." The ninja smirked, "The few that are still functional are position in the area where the turtles are running toward. It's the closest to the tower, but we won't sustain any damage."

Oroku smiled, "Once the turtles are directly over the charges- detonate them!"

* * *

With the Tower in their sights, the turtle brothers continued to jump and run rooftop to rooftop. Leo lead his brothers within a few blocks of the Tower before reaching and opening his shell cell. Dialing a quick number, Leo waited until April answered.

"Leo?"

Leo took out the headset. "April, we're doing this tonight. Right now."

"Where are you?"

"Main and 132nd." Leo answered.

"Get to the river now!"

Blinking, Leo asked, "April, what is it?"

"Don't ask questions. Just go! I'll explain later."

Motioning for his brothers, Leo began running for the river. Questioning this, Raph caught up quickly to Leo.

"Where are you going? The tower's that way!" Raph demanded pointing to the skyscraper they were obviously running away from.

Leo panted, "Not sure. April said to run to the river."

"Did she say why?" Raph asked, obviously irritated, but they still ran to the river. Leo refused to answer, and speed up his run.

* * *

"Why are you doing this, Shredder?" Don demanded weakly. "If it's revenge you wish. Why not kill only us and spare all these innocent lives?"

Oroku snickered, "Yes, it is quite a messy operation. But effective."

To his right were ceiling to floor windows overlooking the city below. Don's heart sank knowing that was the exact location the bombs would detonate. Already the tears were flowing.

The explosion was massive, and he, not matter how hard he tired, couldn't look away as the night calm exploded into a fiery chaos. The sound was deafening; almost swallowing any other sound. Shock wave, Don momentarily thought, it will be deviating.

The cloud of fire and smoke irrupted in a two block radius. When the explosion died, all they could see was a hot, glowing smoke. Thick with the smell of smoke as shrapnel and debris flew in the air. Sirens screamed to life in unknown place, but all Don could see was the massive black cloud and the heart-shattering image.

His brothers were dead.

"Harakara! _(Brothers!)_ HARAKARA!"

* * *

"Holy shi…" Raph couldn't finish his sentence property because at that moment all three were pushed by the sound save and blast. Landing on their stomachs, all three covered their heads as the explosion roar died slowly.

Breathing heavily from the shock, Mickey was the first to sit up. He had felt the immense heat of fire on his shell. Soon a dark cloud of ash and smoke covered them, and Mickey choked against this.

"LEO!" His scream felt like it was swallowed by the smoke, "RAPH! WHERE ARE YOU?!"

"MICKEY?!" Raph yelled back, "Are you okay?!"

"I'm fine! Where are you?"

"Don't move!" Leo yelled back, "We'll come to you!"

Nearly choking on the accumulating smoke, Mickey coached, but stayed sitting where he fell after the blast. It was then Mickey knew why his brothers sounded so far. When Leo turned to run to the river, Raph ran faster; leaving Mickey behind. Not at a dangerous distance, but enough.

Finally two ash covered turtle brothers walked from the eerie smoke cloud surrounding them. Kneeling down to their baby brother, Leo and Raph seemed okay. No cuts or bad burses; just shaken up by the unannounced explosion.

"What the hell was that?" Raph looked back to the explosion's epicenter. His voice was breathless. "Oh God…a-all those people!"

Suddenly the city siren system blared into the devastated night, and the air was aloud with the chorus of human voices of despair. The smoke wasn't clearing quickly, but the brothers sat huddled together looking at the smoke.

Leo coached, "Let's get away from here. Stay in the shadows. With all this going around, half of New York must be awake." Tugging on Mickey's arm, Leo half-ran from the smoke. Raph ran beside them, and soon more sirens of police cars and ambulances joined in the conflagration of sound and fire.

Soon they were out of the smoke and in open air. Already Leo's lungs were burning from the smoke. As predicted, the streets were flooded with humans wandering the streets as if the world was ending. In any case, it very well could be.

Leo instantly snapped on his cell shell. "April? April, are you there?"

"Leo! Oh, thank God!"

"Are you okay?"

"We're fine…Wait. Master Splinter wants to speak to you."

There was a moment of silence before the old sensei's voice called, "Leonardo, are you alright? Where are you brothers?"

"We're all okay, sensei." Leo breathed as they ran to a dark alley. "We just managed to escape. If we would have been running in the same direction as we were…" Shaking his head, Leo knew a leader never thought of the past experiences during a mission, only if it was necessary. "Anyway, we're fine. I…I still think we need to continue on."

Master Splinter didn't seemed pleased by this. "Very well, I will trust your judgment, my son. However; be extremely cautious, this could be another trap."

"Yes, Master." Leo grimiest. The thought of another trap had crossed his mind. Obviously the explosion was either terrorist or the Shredder. Still they pressed on forward to the tower, avoiding all stunned humans.

* * *

Hoped died. Don didn't cry.

Escorted back to his cell, Don stood as the door was closed. Just stood staring at the black wall before him. For how long he stood there before Karia opened the door, he didn't know; nor did he care.

She said nothing, just stood there looking at his back. Bruises lined his arms and legs. A painful crack spread like a line on Don's shell, and his broken arm was poorly bandaged. He was allowed pain killers, the one charity he had been given since arriving as a slave.

"I did not wish this." Karira whispered.

Don snarled sarcastically, "Yeah…I can see how broken you are. Your father must be so proud of you."

Karia sighed, "I didn't think he would go so far."

Growling, Don turned around in rage. "Would you WAKE UP ALREADY!? You're father has killed innocent PEOPLE! He killed MY BROTHERS! I can never ever forgiving him for that, or you for doing nothing! NEVER!"

"Donatello…I…"

Snarling, Don snapped, "Just…leave me."

Lowering her head, Karia turned and walked out of the cell. The door closed; the locks were slid, and he was finally alone.

Alone. In the darkness of his cell- his Cave. Sobbing himself to sleep, Don wished for one thing. To join his brothers in Valhalla.

* * *

_Okay...now people are going to kill me! ;; Man, I'm evil. If I like a character, I'll put him through hell in my fanfic. Does that make me a sadist? I'm not crazy, sware! I'm just a Psychology major!! LOL! Anyway, thanks for reading!_

_-Weezellee_


	6. Together

_Funny story time! Okay, so this is a Weezellee-being-an-idiot-funny story time. Anyway, Do we all know how to spell Mikey? Well obviously not all of us, right? LOL! points sheeplishly to self I didn't even know I was calling Mikey Mickey until my friend pointed it out. I was puzzeled until he sang the Mickey Mouse Club theme song!! Man, I was blushing as red as a strawberry. Now I'm getting some reviews pointed out my stupid mistake! I would like to appologize to all my readers, the TMNT universe, Mickey Mouse, and Mikey! I'm an idiot! LOL!_

_Disclaimer: I don't own anything! Even spelling rights to names of the TMNT. MICKEY MOUSE! DONALD DUCK!_

* * *

Chapter VI: Together

"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." -Socrates

They reached the building without many obstacles. The city was still stunned, and soon chaos would follow. No one knew what happened; no one knew it could happen. Doubt still whispered of a trap in Leo's mind, but the vision of Donnie, chained the alter, would not leave him.

"Okay" Leo whispered, "Level 13. Right below is the security mainframe and Stockman's lab. Above it is Foot soldiers' dorms. The levels below are just offices and illusions to throw off the public. The upper levels, we won't touch those."

"We'll go through the air vents." Leo looked up the building. They were behind the main entrance. Easily they could reach the one window they would break. It was the one flaw in the Shredder's security system, and April had already deactivated that.

The three ran to the window, and Raph took out the electronic glass cutter. The blade spun on a fixed pivot, and a good size hole was made. Mikey was first to jump into the dark public restroom with numb chucks in hand. Looking around, he motioned for his brothers to join him.

The security in the bathroom was only offline for five minutes. By that time, they had to be in the air vent. It had already been three minutes according to Leo's watch. Thankfully above the third stall from the door, was the vent they had seen on the computer blueprints.

Raph's sias easily dislodged the iron grid over the dark, iron tunnel. Crawling one by one, the brothers made it just in time. Replacing the grid, Leo nodded for them to continue in the dark. Mikey, who had Don's old bag, handed out the night vision goggles, and they were on their way.

Looking at his watch, Leo knew the security system was now on. There was no telling how much time they had until someone walked into the restroom where they would find an obviously broken window. Once they found that, more security measures would be launched.

Crawling only a few yards in a successions of mapped out turns, they came to the large elevator shaft. Thankfully the elevator wasn't resting at level one. Looking up, Raph pointed at it, and they estimated it was at level 10 or so. Thankfully it wasn't moving either.

The shaft was dimly lighted, and the brothers walked into the center of the elevator shaft's bottom. Mikey took out two grappling hooks and handed one to Raph and the other to Leo. Pointing it upwards, Raph watched his grappling hook fly upward until it hit and wedged into the elevator's floor. Pulling on the trigger, Raph was pulled up the 10 stories to the elevator.

Hanging there, Raph found the bottom trap door to the elevator. It was easy to open. No lock or security device. Just a simple latch that broke open under his sia. The light from the elevator shown like a spotlight on Leo and Mikey.

Raph waited for one heart stopping second before deciding the elevator was unoccupied. Jumping in easily, Raph poised in an attack position. His forecast was right. Turning down to the trap door, Raph tapped twice on the metal that echoed down to this brothers.

"All right." Mikey smiled. "Things are going awesomely sweet. Too bad there's no wood to knock on in this shaft."

Leo launched his own grappling hook at the elevator above. Offering an arm to Mikey, Leo waited for a moment. An amused expression was on his little brother's face.

"Mikey." Leo warned.

Mikey pouted, "Come on, Leo! This would be a perfect time for you go all Arnold here, and say, 'Come with me if you want to live."

"Not now." Leo snarled, "Not today, Mikey."

Saying nothing, Mikey took the offered arm. The chain took them up slower than Raph because of the added weight. Then something was terribly wrong.

The elevator engine roared to life as the elevator came down!

* * *

Dinner had come on schedule, but Don refused to eat. He stared blankly at the small portion of bread, water, and meat. His mask was saturated with tears.

He lied on his side in the center of the cold floor. That's where he fell when his leg could no longer hold his pain-filled heart. Instantly his heart denied the truth of their deaths. Then he fell into an endless well of anguish. He was falling, like his tears.

Afterwards, he had screamed their names. He howled how sorry he was; how this was all his fault. He stood with newly founded rage against the hell of it all, and his fist and broken wrist pounded on the walls until they began bleeding.

There was no pain. He would feel no more pain. How can you feel pain without a heart?

* * *

"Aw shell." Mikey gasped. Someone was on a lower floor, pushing the up button to order an elevator. _Their_ elevator, and it was going faster downward than Leo and Mickey were going up.

"It's going to be close." Leo snarled.

Meanwhile, Raph was searching the elevator button pad for an emergency break or something. There was none, so he looked around the elevator room, and he saw it. A red handle marked Emergency. Options were running out while the elevator began plummeting with increasing speed.

Pulling on it, breaks squealed. Sparks from the breaks feel like hot rain around Leo and Mikey, but at least the elevator wasn't going down now.

Once Mikey and Leo were inside the elevator, Leo gave one-of-those glares to his red bandana brother. Raph growled, "Hey, it was the only idea at the time. Did you have a better plan?"

Leo sighed, "Sorry, I'm just…Let's just go already."

Mikey expasteratingly sighed as he pressed button 13 and Raph unlocked the emergency breaks. Oddly to their luck, the break must have channeled out the bottom level button. Now they were moving upward to the prison level.

When the doors opened, the brothers hid away from the doorway's vision. When no one walked in, Leo turned his shoulder to look down the corridor. It was long, harshly lighted, but seemingly only guarded by two ninjas.

"There's like hundreds of cells." Mikey whispered, "How are we suppose to know which one Don is in?"

"That would take forever. Searching cell for cell for your brother." A familiar voice called from the PA system. Everyone froze before Leo steeped out of the elevator. The two ninja guards saw them, drew their swords, and came charging.

* * *

Don had fallen to his knees in sobs and whispered names of his brothers. He then looked with blurry eyes to his dinner. He couldn't eat, but he wasn't interested in the meal. Instead his attention was turned to the plate under the food.

It was made out of porcelain. Walking over to it, Don picked up. The foot fell to the floor. With a flick of his wrist, Don tossed the plate at the wall. It shattered instantly into sharp porcelain shards. Picking up the largest, sharp dagger-shaped shard, Don held it for a moment.

_"Leo, where do you think we go when we die?"_

_"Well, Master Splinter says that…"_

_"I know what Master Splinter believes. I want to know what you believe?"_

_"…I don't know, Donnie. I hope Plato and Master Splinter are right; that our souls don't die; only our bodies. I also hope that we go to a place like Valhalla where we can stay together."_

"Together." Don whispered to the dagger. All emotions were drained as he held the dagger up. Tilting his head back, Don pressed the point to his neck, and closed his eyes.

"Together."

* * *

"Hold ninja!" Karai's voice ordered from the PA. Obediently the ninjas stopped their charging, and Raph and Mickey steeped out of the elevator.

"It's a trap." Raph snarled next to Leo.

Ignoring him, Leo called, "Karai, are you saying you wish to help us."

"Yes." came the swift reply. "Your brother is being contained in cell 1306 at the right side at the end of the hall. I will monitor the security system from here."

"What makes you think we should trust you?" Raph snarled.

"Raph." Leo warned, "She's offering a way out of here."

"Not this again." Raph snapped, "When are you going to get it through your head that Karai is working for the Shredder. She's one of the bad guys."

"Master Splinter taught us that everyone has a good side."

"The the Shredder's freaking daughter, Leo! She's betrayed us before! What makes you so sure she won't do it again!"

"Do we have a choice?!" Leo demanded, "We have no idea where Donnie is, and if we don't comply, she can have a whole legion of ninjas on us!"

Raph was stopped by this logic. _"Damn,"_ he thought, _"I swear, once I have Donnie, this whole place is going up in smoke."_ Turning away from Leo with a huff, Raph began running down the hall; passing the ninjas without a glance. Leo and Mikey followed him as Karia said.

"I am sorry, Leonardo. All I want is for your family to be reunited. Please, once you have him, leave this place."

"I promise." Leo said as they neared the door.

"Ninja." Karia ordered, "Unlock number 1306. Once you have Donatello, you can take the elevator to level 3. There I'll escort you to a hidden exit."

"Right." Leo smiled, "And…Karai…thank you."

* * *

He was one second from plundging the dagger into his own neck when the door was quickly unlocked. The door was thrust open; blinding light flooded the cell. Don found himself in another shadow.

"Don! Donnie, what are you…" The voice soon turned into completely horror, "DONNIE! NO!"

Don eyes opened. He knew that voice, but this couldn't be right. Raph was dead, and soon he would too. It just had to be his mind; all in his mind. They were dead. All dead. All dead together.

Suddenly the makeshift dagger was ripped from his hands, and crushing arms were holding him. Next to his hear, there was someone familiar and warm crying and holding him.

"God, Donatello!" Raph blubbered into Don's shoulder. "What the hell where…Oh, Donnie. It's okay. It's okay. We're here."

Don's voice suddenly rang out. "No! N-no. Y-you can't be here. T-this isn't real! You're…Oh God!"

"Don!" Raph now held his little brother at arm length. He was searching his face, and Raph's eyes grew large. "Don…what did they do to you?!"

"Don!" Leo yelled out as he charged into the room followed by Mikey. Don was soon the center of a group hug. The only dried eyes were Don as he tightly closed his eyes. When the shock died down, his mind soon found the reality in this. They were alive. They were all alive together!

"Please" Karai's voice pleaded over the PA. "Time is short. Meet me on floor 3."

"How is he, Leo?" Mikey asked worriedly.

In their limited light, Leo looked over Don's body. His stomach twisted seeing way too many cuts, bruises and broken bones. There was nothing fatal about his injuries, but Don looked horrible anyway.

"I'll carry him." Leo said finally as he scooped Don in his arms. They were soon walking quickly to the elevator. Karia kept her promise, and soon the brothers were walking into the New York night. Don didn't remember most of the trip back home. Overcome by relief, he soon passed out.

* * *

_See, I'm not heartless! LOL! My friend was yelling at me when he read the part about Don ALMOST committing suicide. He a total TMNT freak, as I am. LOL! Anyway, thanks for reading. Just one more chapter!! Yippee!_

_-Weezellee_


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